This invention relates to an apparatus for analyzing the propagation of arterial pulse waves through vascular vessels in order to diagnose circulatory diseases by analyzing the nature of arterial pulse wave propagation through the circulatory system, i.e. from the heart to the peripheral portions of the circulatory system and the like.
Methods of analyzing the speed of wave propagation as a pulse wave propagates through an artery, is generally known. In such prior art methods, waveforms of a phonocardiogram (PKG) or an electrocardiogram (EKG) and selected forms of pulse waves are simultaneously drawn on the same recording paper. Each wave form is analyzed, and the distance between specific positions along the circulatory system is measured by using a scale. The obtained results are converted into the time taken for the pulse wave to propagate from the center (i.e. heart) to the periphery of the circulatory system, and the speed of the propagating arterial pulse wave is measured using the above-described propagation-length compensation procedure.
Japanese Patent Publication No. 6930/1982 discloses another type of apparatus for measuring the speed of an arterial pulse wave. In order to save labor and time necessary to compute the speed of an arterial pulse wave for each occurrence of arterial pulse wave propagation, the steps of the method are automated.
However, although the state of arteriosclerosis can be, to a certain degree, diagnosed with the above-described speed measurement, there has been no apparatus clinically applied for a circulatory system which efficiently analyzes the nature of arterial pulse wave propagation for the purpose of diagnosing a variety of vascular diseases or tension states of vascular walls.